Toyota Renews Supra Trademark

The FT-1 concept launched at last month's Detroit Auto Show gave us the clearest idea yet of what a new Toyota Supra might look like--one of the motoring world's most eagerly-anticipated sports cars. While Toyota didn't reveal it at the time, it's now pretty much confirmed that the FT-1 will--with a few tweaks here and there--become the next generation of the famous sports car lineage.

What was less clear is whether Toyota would resurrect the Supra name itself, but a new trademark filing, first spotted by The Motor Report, pretty much guarantees it. Filed on February 10 with the United States Patent and Trademark Office, Toyota has registered the character mark "Supra". It's a sign that not only will buyers likely see the powerful front-engined, rear-drive sports car they've been waiting for from Toyota soon, but it should carry the right name too, revered from Japanese Super GT through Gran Turismo games through Fast & Furious films.

The production Supra is rumored to offer two drivetrains; a turbocharged four-cylinder and a hybrid model utilizing a 2.5-liter V-6 and electric motor combo, developing more than 400 horsepower. It'll also be a rear-drive, transaxle vehicle, and could potentially sit on a new sports car platform being co-developed with BMW. The new Supra will sit at the top of a three-tier tree of Toyota sports cars, above the GT 86/FR-S and an upcoming smaller sports car.